My layout: The Colorado Midland, Midland Terminal, & Short Line.

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grande man said:
[Scotty] Aye, Captain. It looks like Colorado 1900. We've entered a time warp![/Scotty] 😃


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I wanted to see if anyone would notice that. I figured a time traveling Galaxy Class starship in the distance would add some visual interest. Here's a zoomed in shot.
CM MT & SL layout build (169).jpg
 
Colorado Midland Modeler said:
I wanted to see if anyone would notice that. I figured a time traveling Galaxy Class starship in the distance would add some visual interest. Here's a zoomed in shot.
Click to expand...
I had to take a second look, at first I thought maybe it was a Wi-Fi antenna or a ceiling mounted projector of some type.

Love the backdrop with Pikes Peak! Several years ago we were visiting my wife's brother who lives in Aurora CO. We took a day trip and rode the cog railroad up to Pikes peak. Some really breathtaking scenery and views on the way up, and it was fairly clear so we could see most of the visible States.
 


Here's Part 3.

Leaving the Divide area, we have the North portal of Waters Tunnel. I constructed the bore first, and built the wood portal facades from craft wood. CO 67 runs parallel.
CM MT & SL layout build (178).jpg


Here is the cross section of it as viewed from my workbench area. The white rectangle with the knob is an access hatch so I can do track maintenance or rescue derailed equipment.
CM MT & SL layout build (155).jpg


And, here is the South portal. Also in view is the trestle over Oil Creek.
CM MT & SL layout build (177).jpg


Here, we have CO 67 and E. Bennett Ave. in the outskirts of Cripple Creek. CO 67 crosses the track, and Bennett passes the houses. I still have to build stairs and a few other things for the houses. The MT sheds are behind the houses.
CM MT & SL layout build (156).jpg


Here are the MT engine sheds, etc. in Cripple Creek. The small, temporary depot in the foreground is going to be the site of a scratch-built, multi story depot.
CM MT & SL layout build (157).jpg


The street/parking lot side of the real depot, as it stands today. This is what I plan to build where the temp. depot is.
MT Cripple Creek depot (6).png


Cripple Creek looking toward what would be West in real life. The mural is a work in progress. I intend to pain downtown Cripple Creek into it.
CM MT & SL layout build (176).jpg


Poverty Gulch, which on this layout, marks the transition to Victor. You can see the rail bridge behind the double bridge that carries CO 67 into Victor.
CM MT & SL layout build (171).jpg


Downtown Victor.
CM MT & SL layout build (159).jpg


The line then leaves Victor, crosses the viaduct, passes thru the upper tunnel, and heads into the previously posted Rosemont area.
CM MT & SL layout build (160).jpg


This concludes the photo dump, and shows the layout in its current state of construction. Hope you all enjoy!
 
migalyto said:
I had to take a second look, at first I thought maybe it was a Wi-Fi antenna or a ceiling mounted projector of some type.

Love the backdrop with Pikes Peak! Several years ago we were visiting my wife's brother who lives in Aurora CO. We took a day trip and rode the cog railroad up to Pikes peak. Some really breathtaking scenery and views on the way up, and it was fairly clear so we could see most of the visible States.
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That's pretty cool, glad you enjoyed the trip.
 
Just thought I'd show some more detailed photos of a few different areas that I didn't have room to put in a couple of the other posts.

This is the area behind the Cripple Creek engine sheds.
CM MT & SL layout build (172).jpg


A couple of more detailed shots of the Engelmann Wye viaduct.
CM MT & SL layout build (181).jpg
CM MT & SL layout build (182).jpg


The tunnel leading to and from the viaduct. This tunnel is above the very first tunnel out of Manitou.
CM MT & SL layout build (183).jpg
CM MT & SL layout build (185).jpg


Some more detailed photos of the Ute Pass tunnels, including the one that passes under the tunnel coming from the wye viaduct.
CM MT & SL layout build (188).jpg
CM MT & SL layout build (189).jpg
 
Got some new layout progress to share.

First, I built a beaver dam and lodge at the Bison Creek culverts on the Short Line section. They are made of real wood. I also "planted" some more trees in this area. Only thing I need to do is buy or make beavers for the pond.
CM MT & SL layout build (190).jpg
CM MT & SL layout build (191).jpg
CM MT & SL layout build (192).jpg


Next, I put in the culverts on the other side of the Bison Cree fill. They are dry due to the beaver dam on the opposite side.
CM MT & SL layout build (195).jpg


Zooming out on that area, I used bushes to disguise the seem of the access hatch, and made the channel look like a dry wash.
CM MT & SL layout build (194).jpg


I also did a small amount of work on the North Pole park area, including a small expansion of the deck.
CM MT & SL layout build (197).jpg
CM MT & SL layout build (196).jpg


As a bonus, here are some temporary beavers.
CM MT & SL layout build (193).jpg
 


Colorado Midland Modeler said:
Hello all, hope everyone's having a good day today. I took a bunch of new photos of the layout today, and I'm going to dump them on here in several installments. So, for today, I'm going to do Part 1 starting with the Old Colorado City end.

First off, we have the Golden Cycle mill as it looks at present. The large white smelter stack is made from a plastic pipe glued to a metal piece used for joining chain link fence pieces. The building next to the stack is a modified lumber mill building, I forget the brand, and the two tanks next to it are a Morten salt container cut in half. The black unloading building is scratch built from foam core poster board.View attachment 198319

Next up is the OCC roundhouse and yard facilities. The roundhouse, water storage tank, coaling tower, and the still under construction office building and machine shop are all scratch built. You can also see the control panel and part of the depot in the background.View attachment 198320View attachment 198321View attachment 198322

Here is the control panel as looks right now.View attachment 198323

Here is the main OCC depot. This one is a laser cut wood kit that I built over about a month's worth of evenings., It was originally supposed to have been the D&RGW's Durango depot. I got it and several other unbuilt kits at a bargain from an estate sale awhile back.View attachment 198324View attachment 198325

And here, is the Manitou Springs area, as well as the wye viaduct and part of the Ute Pass area. You'll probably notice that I painted the facia and stenciled on some landmark etc. names.View attachment 198326

This concludes Part 1. Part 2 coming soon. Tomorrow, maybe. It depends on what I'm doing. Hope you all enjoy.
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That is wild (in the coolest sense of that word). I like the desert pastel colors you've used on the railroad. Being an every year traveler to the wild west, i really like your depiction of the Colorado area.
 


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